HostGator Review
HostGator
$3.96/month
PROS
- Cheap to start
- Many hosting options
- Easy to upgrade
- Free marketing credits
CONS
- No free domain name
- Limited basic plan
- Expensive renewals
HostGator Review Introduction
HostGator is one of the biggest names in web hosting. Since 2002 they have been growing at a huge rate and currently host over 200,000 customers with no signs of stopping. In 2009 they were recognized by Inc.com as one of the fastest growing companies in America. In 2012 they were purchased by Endurance International Group, a company that owns several other large hosting brands you may be familiar with, including iPage, BlueHost, JustHost, and more.
HostGator Review on Services
HostGator offers a huge range of hosting options, including 3 shared hosting plans, 5 reseller plans, 5 VPS plans, and 4 dedicated server plans. Their shared hosting plans are competitively priced, but the renewal prices make them more expensive than some of their competition. Each shared plan comes with the same core features including:
- Unlimited Disk Space
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Shared SSL Certificate
- 45 Day Money Back guarantee
This, unfortunately, is where the similarities end with their packages. Their most basic plan does not allow you to have any parked or addon domains and only allows for you to host one website. This is pretty restrictive in terms of shared hosting. In order to have the ability to host multiple domains and websites on the same account you will have to spring for their middle-of-the-road plan which costs a lot more just to have that ability.
HostGator Review on Reliability & Speed
HostGator’s servers used to be toward the top of the rankings in both reliability and speed. Unfortunately their reliability has gone downhill since the Endurance International Group takeover. While their servers are still reliable as far as uptime, the speed can be lacking sometimes during peak hours.
HostGator Review on Price
HostGator’s starting prices are on par with most of their competition. Like many other hosts, however, their renewal rates are significantly higher than when you first sign up. You’ll also have to pay extra to upgrade to a larger plan if you need to host multiple domains and websites on one hosting account.
Our Recommendation
HostGator is a good choice if you’re looking for a well establish host and are planning on expanding your website. Their huge range of hosting options allows you to easily upgrade should you find yourself in need of a a more robust hosting plan. While their server speed can sometimes be a bit lacking, this shouldn’t deter you from signing up.